Mistletoe for Meeko and Percy
by renrenren3
Summary: Meeko and Percy don't really understand what mistletoe is for. They're just here for the food.


There's some kind of commotion going on among the humans. They've been acting strange during the past few days, working on something. Meeko isn't sure what this something is but it apparently involves cooking huge amounts of food. Huge amounts of food that Meeko isn't allowed to eat. This means that Meeko is very interested in figuring out ways to eat some of that food.

One cold afternoon everyone in the camp takes off towards the camp of their pale-skinned friends. Pocahontas sits Meeko down and tells him things. Meeko wishes humans weren't so difficult to understand. Why did they have to use all those words? It's difficult to understand what Pocahontas is saying. She points to Meeko and to the camp and then shakes her head, and that gesture at least is unmistakable.

Meeko doesn't mind that he has to stay behind, since it means he'll have free access to the food. He gets a warm happy feeling in his belly just at the thought of it. All that food, left unguarded just for him! He can almost smell it...

Except that he can't smell it! Wait a minute, that's wrong. Why? What's happened? There's still a lingering smell of baked pies and roasts and cooking spices in the air, but faint, as if the actual food isn't around any more. A quick inspection of the tents reveals that the pantries and ovens are indeed empty save for a few leftovers.

Meeko scoffs at those. He wanted to have a banquet, not the banquet's scraps. This is all very disappointing. He's sure that the food hasn't been eaten here because he never misses mealtimes, so Pocahontas and the others must have brought it with them. A quick change of plans is in order if he wants some of the delicious food. Without further ado Meeko decides to set off towards the other human camp.

Predictably, Flit shakes his head and tries to convince him not to go. Meeko ignores him - the little hummingbird is so tiny, he can go on for a day on just a few crumbs! On the other hand Meeko has got a large stomach and he gets hungry if he's not fed regularly. And those sweets smelled really, really good!

He follows his nose to the edge of the camp and sneaks in through a hole in the fence. Last time he was here there was a little incident involving one of the humans, some grilled fish and maybe a beehive full of angry bees. That wasn't Meeko's fault, not at all, but maybe it's better if he tries to stay out of sight. Just in case. Humans can be so very touchy and prone to chase him around and drag him out by the scruff of his neck.

There is a lot of confusion today in the camp, even more so than usual. Humans, both dark- and pale-skinned, are everywhere, carrying food and drinks and colored ribbons. Meeko is more interested in the food but he can't help noticing the ribbons. They're everywhere, red and green and white, and he has no idea what they could be for.

Percy is there, too, crouching under a table out of everyone's way. Percy is Meeko's friend, and anyway whenever they play chase Meeko always wins. So Meeko has no problems trotting over and raising his paw in a friendly greeting. Percy looks up from his bowl of cookies and yaps a greeting. Meeko grins and takes this as an invitation to join him and eat most of the remaining cookies, which he does.

It takes him only a few seconds to clean the bowl. Meeko swallows noisily and licks his haunches, grinning again at Percy. Percy stares back, looking confused and about to start growling and running around snapping at him. Meeko thinks it's silly. First, Percy offered. Well, okay, he didn't really, but he's a friend and friends are supposed to share. Second, there's so much more food here that they don't need to fight over a few cookies.

Meeko twitches his nose, sniffing the air, and points to the largest tent. There's a very promising pile of roasted apples standing on a table, all alone and without any human paying them any attention. Percy instantly approves and the two of them make their way through the forest of human legs and towards the apples.

The table is tall and Percy is clumsy, so Meeko climbs over a chair and drops two apples down to his friend. Percy yaps a thank you and buries his teeth in one of the apples, wagging his tail excitedly. Meeko is about to take a couple more for himself when he sees a strange plant that he's never seen before. It's got dark rounded leaves and little white berries.

Before he can sniff it, a hand flies out and snatches it away. Meeko looks up and sees his friend, John Smith, shaking his head and telling him something. He's worried John will chase him away from the apples, but John only wants to take the little plant away. That's fine by Meeko since it didn't look like it would be good to eat anyway.

He takes two more apples from the table and then, seeing that Percy has almost finished his own, takes two more for good measure. Then he jumps down on the floor and sniffs his price appreciatively before taking a large bite. They taste warm and sweet and delicious. He eats the first apple in quick, large bites, a trickle of juice running down the corner of his mouth.

Meeko is about to start on the second apple when Percy nudges him with his nose and points to the entrance of the tent. He looks up and sees that John has attached the little white plant on top of the entrance and is showing it to Pocahontas. They're talking about something and she's laughing and shaking her head.

Then more humans show up and tell them something and they sound pretty insistent, so Pocahontas stands on tiptoe and pecks John on the lips. Then, as suddenly as they showed up, all the humans go back to doing what they were doing before. John and Pocahontas laugh again and leave hand in hand. Percy looks at Meeko questioningly but Meeko just shrugs. He's got no idea what just happened either.

They finish their apples and hide the discarded cores under the tablecloth. Meeko eyes a woman carrying a nut cake and immediately springs to attention. There's still plenty of room in his stomach for some more food. Percy agrees about that but as they're getting out of the tent Meeko sees him peeking up at the little plant.

Food is more important, but Meeko does wonder what that plant means. It seemed to have made Pocahontas and John happy, but why? He and Percy look up in puzzlement for a few moments, craning back their heads to get a better look at the sprig pinned above them. Like most human things it's a complete mystery for the two of them.

Just in case, when Percy stares back at him Meeko presses their snouts together. Nothing really happens, but there's apple juice over Percy's nose so Meeko licks that off with a quick swipe of the tongue. Then, before Percy can complain about that, he runs off to search for his cake.


End file.
